


To Be With You

by Genxha



Series: Post Season 3 finale [3]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng Fluff, F/M, Idiots in Love, Post-Reveal Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Protective Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Secret Relationship, Sweet Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:14:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29558943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Genxha/pseuds/Genxha
Summary: After they discovered their secret identity, Marinette and Adrien decided to keep their love secret. After 1 year of disguise they feel the urge to talk about their relatioship.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe
Series: Post Season 3 finale [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2173941
Comments: 5
Kudos: 30





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [To be with you](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/763881) by Genxha. 
  * Inspired by [To be with you](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/763884) by Genxha. 



> Cover by https://www.deviantart.com/rosehealer02 
> 
> Thank you Rose, your drawings are amazing.

The hatch on the terrace opens slowly, without any noise, and Chat Noir faces the opening, looking inside.

Marinette is on the loft bed, asleep turned on her side. Chat Noir looks at her, lips pursed in a smile, sighing - _She fell asleep while she was waiting for me_ \- he thinks, then, being careful not to wake the girl, he slips inside and kneels on the bed next to her, then closing the trap door above him.

Chat Noir lies down behind Marinette, supporting himself on one elbow, then reaches out her other hand and gently strokes the hair of the girl who mumbles "hmmmm", without waking up, then he whispers in her ear "Hey, Princess ... it's me" without stopping to stroke her hair.

“Hmmmmm, Mon Chaton, five more minutes…” Marinette mumbles again, then finally opens her eyes and turns slightly to the left, blinking a few times, until she focuses on the boy's face. "Kitten? Ehi, what time is it?" she asks, a little confused. 

"Almost one ... sorry, Bugaboo, I'm late" he replies looking at her "but now I'm here ..." he stops when Marinette turns completely and gives him a quick kiss on the lips. 

“Yeah… you're here, Chaton,” she whispers softly. Chat Noir looks Marinette in the eyes, losing, as every time, in the blue of her irises so beautiful and bright, so much so that she asks "What is that look?". 

"What, can't I look at the girl I love?" he answers, smiling.

"I didn't think you came here just to ... look at me" says Marinette, looking like she have something in mind, moving to hug Chat Noir next to her. 

He returns the hug and whispers "Close your eyes" then "Plagg, claws in": in a green flash Chat Noir turns into Adrien. 

Marinette starts to open her eyes but he whispers "Don't open them yet, I have a surprise", then kisses her, more calmly than before but with his heart still pounding. 

When their lips part, Marinette manages to say "Cheater, this is no surprise", looking him in the grass green eyes. 

Adrien tries to make an offended smirk, "You cheated too, you opened your eyes" then smiles, trying to hold back the laughter, as he hands her a little package "This is the surprise".

Marinette sits on the bed, her legs folded under her and takes the package, while Adrien moves so that he can rest his head on her lap. 

The girl takes the paper out of the package and takes out a small blue box. Intrigued, she opens it and sees a small, butterfly shaped enameled brooch "And what’s this?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.  
  


Adrien looks at her "Is to remember that just a year ago, because of Papillon, I discovered that my Lady and the girl I love are the same, wonderful and fantastic person."

Marinette makes a smirk, wrinkling her nose "How did you come up with such a thing?" she asks, while Plagg snaps "I told you it wasn't a good idea, Kitty!" immediately interrupted by Tikki who grabs him by a paw and pulls him away. 

Adrien rolls his eyes, worried. “Don't… don't you like it? I can change it. I have the receipt somewhere at home, I can go ... ”he ventures in a whisper. 

The girl looks at him, then bursts out laughing, interrupting "But of course I like it. Silly cat. I was kidding you!" she replies, then stroking the boy's blond hair “Thank you, mon Chaton, I love it. This will be our secret, too. " she pauses. “But… I like to cuddle you more when you're Chat Noir. I love it when you purr!”.

Adrien looks at her, pretending to be amazed and getting on all fours, his face in front of Marinette's “Are you saying you wouldn't like to cuddle me now? Ah! I’ll take my vengeance!" he says, then grabs the girl by tickling her.

"OK! Stop it! I give up! Stop!" Marinette says shortly after, fidgeting and trying to breathe as Adrien tickles her. He looks at her, slyly, stopping abruptly after having managed to slip a hand under her shirt, that was raised to reveal the navel and a little of Marinette's belly. 

The two exchange glances, then both blush, Adrien slips his hand out, putting it behind his neck "Er ..." and Marinette blushes again, embarrassed, lowering the hem of her shirt to cover her belly but with a half smile that the boy fails to interpret fully. 

"My parents are downstairs ..." she whispers. 

After the moment of embarrassment, Marinette sits back on the bed with her knees to her chest, pats the mattress next to her to motion Adrien to sit there, then after he leans on her, she puts the head on his shoulder. Adrien rests his head on Marinette's - _Now she'll think I wanted to take advantage of the situation_ \- he reflects, smelling the scent of the girl's shampoo, who searches for his hand with her and intertwines her fingers with Adrien's.

"Maybe we should stop with secrets, Bugaboo," the boy whispers, then kisses Marinette's hair. 

"Maybe, mon Minou, but I'm afraid of how your father would take it, you're famous" replies the girl after a few moments of silence - and then there's Chat Blanc - she thinks.  
Marinette squeezes Adrien's hand tighter, looking him in the green eyes. “Maybe you're right, maybe sooner or later we should say it, I don't think we can go on like this for much longer. And ... "

" Don't call me Bugaboo," Adrien finishes the sentence, smiling, while Marinette continues to look him in the eye and surrounds him in a hug." You can call me that as many times as you want, Kitty" she whispers. 

The two remain embraced for a few minutes, enjoying just only the time they can spend together.

“I have enough of these fuss! I'm hungry, Adrien are we going home?" Plagg intervenes stealthily, making them both wince and receiving a fiery glare from Tikki who mutters: "Plagg, you're still the same!"

“The same what, Sugarcube? I'm hungry! I can't live without my Camembert! " he retorts, crossing his paws on his chest and turning away with a grimace.  
  
Adrien looks at the two Kwamis, then Marinette. "Princess ... unfortunately that troublemaker of Plagg is right, I have to go home," he says softly.

"Ugh ..." Marinette snorts, raising her head from Adrien's shoulder and looking at him with a puppy look. "Already?"

"Already," he nods, serious, standing up on the mattress "The puppy look! did you learn it from Manon? " he asks, with a half smile.  
  
Marinette chuckles, then looks at him with a falsely serious face "Hey, did I ever tell you I like your pajamas?" Marinette says, looking at Adrien, his red pajama bottoms with black polka dots and matching red t-shirt.

He looks at her, winking: "No, but I thought you didn't care about the packaging!"

“Witty… And you? You were about to… unwrap myself from the packaging ”, Marinette retorts, laughing and winking back to Adrien.

Adrien makes a surprised face, then snorts. “I really have to go. Plagg! Claws out! " immediately after Chat Noir turns to open the hatch she looks at him with a little sad expression. “Be careful, Kitty. See you at school. Sleep well". 

Chat Noir slips into the hatch "Goodnight, Marinette," greets her, then feels herself being pulled by the tail of the costume, turns around and finds Marinette's face very close to his. The girl stands up on tiptoe and gives him a quick kiss on the lips, then whispers "Goodnight". 

Chat Noir smiles, then turns and exits. Marinette looks at the closed hatch with a sigh.

"Tikki!" the girl begins, sitting on the bed and looking at Adrien's gift "Did you see how beautiful is this? I can hardly believe that it is a year that the two of us ... we are a couple "

The Kwami flies by "Yes, it was very nice to give it to you. Although perhaps I would not have chosen the butterfly! " answers.

"Thinking about the evil that Hawkmoth is causing and that it is because of him that we have declared ourselves is not exactly a nice thing, but it was a very sweet thought on Adrien's part, I will have to repay myself in some way" continues Marinette, but Tikki interrupts her " You should see each other, being with you is the best gift Adrien could wish for ”.

Marinette blushes “Come on, Tikki! Do not overdo it!"

Tikki flies in front of her face "I'm not exaggerating, Marinette, trust me!"  
The girl looks at the flying creature "If you say so ... I better go to sleep now, tomorrow there are tests at school before the Christmas holidays" then reaches out to turn off the light.


	2. Chapter 2

The alarm goes off at 7, but Marinette reaches out, grabs the phone and without looking moves it forward ten minutes, going back to sleep. Ten minutes later the alarm rings again and she hardly opens her eyes, sitting on the bed wrapped in the duvet. 

"Good morning Tikki!" she says in a low voice "Good morning Marinette" replies the other going to rest on the desk saying "You have to hurry up or you will be late for school again!".

Marinette yawns and shivers, walking down the stairs to the bathroom. “I take a shower, grab something from the shop and let's go. Provided that… ”she says, pausing to yawn“… there isn't an Akuma… but I have to wake up first ”.

Marinette enters the small bathroom in the attic, closes the door and undresses to take a shower. 

After opening the hot water, she takes a look at her reflection, full frame, in the mirror - Lot of _things have changed since I received the Miraculous_ \- she thinks. 

The girl looks at her face reflected in the mirror - I _look more and more like mom .. apart from the freckles, which Adrien likes so much and the eyes_ \- she notes, moving her gaze to the rest of the body, slender and toned - _Running after the Akuma is keeping me in shape, other than gym membership_ \- she thinks, brushing her belly with one hand - _even Adrien has noticed_ \- she continues, blushing slightly, thinking back to the night before. - _And even up here, I would say not bad..._ \- she continues, looking at her breasts, no longer the unripe ones of a young girl, but not too big, in proportion to the rest of the figure - _I know that soon I will need new underwear .. and maybe I should start wearing skirts more often_ \- she concludes, turning three-quarters and observing her bare legs in the mirror.

Marinette comes out of her reflections and slips into the shower, starting her routine to leave the house. She dries her hair and leaves the bathroom in her bathrobe, greeted by Tikki who, without saying a word, points at the time on her cell phone: ten to eight. 

"Damn! risk of being late” she snaps, then takes off her bathrobe, leaves it on the ground and gets dressed in a hurry, goes down to the kitchen, grabs a croissant and an apple from the table and rushes out of the apartment, stopping suddenly on the hallway. "Damn, the shoes!" she exclaims, going inside to put them on, close the door and go down the stairs passing through the back of the pastry shop. 

"Bye Mom! Dad! See you later!" she greets her parents, running across the shop without waiting for an answer from the two who shrug in unison watching her leave.

The brunette arrives at school, as usual, at the last moment, enters the door and rushes towards the classroom. She stops suddenly, turns on her heel and heads to the opposite side of the inner courtyard, patting herself on the forehead.

"I was just entering my old class at the Collége," Marinette mutters, running upstairs, where the classrooms of the Lycée are located, of which she is now attending the first year together with Adrien, Alya and Nino.

  
  


Marinette opens the door at the exact moment when the bell of the first hour rings and rushes to take her place, again next to Alya and behind Adrien who, notices, is taking tablets and notes from his bag as if he were sitting a few moments before.

  
“Miss Dupain-Cheng, I see that this morning also came at the last minute. But, since Mr. Agreste also preceded you only by a few moments, I'll pretend nothing happened. " the teacher from the first hour scolds her, looking at her sideways.

"I’m sorry, Miss Blanchet" replies Marinette, while Alya looks at her, raising her eyes to the sky as if to say "here we go again", but she doesn't have time to say more to her friend, who, bends over to take the tablet and notes from the backpack, hides a yawn. Immediately after, Miss Blanchet begins the history lesson.

  
  
  


The morning, after the history lesson, continues with the tests, which end immediately before the lunch break, during which, as usual, Adrien is escorted home by the Gorilla, while Marinette goes to the school cafeteria with Nino and Alya .

As they sit down, Marinette asks Alya and Nino "So, how did the test look like to you?" pauses, arranging the chair "I didn't find the questions too difficult and it seems to me that all the main points of the program were there."

Alya nods "I hope well, I answered all the questions without problems, you, darling?" she asks her boyfriend.

“No problem even for me! Indeed, I was worried but it was easy! " Nino replies, adjusting the cap he has worn since he attended the Collége.

  
They are still talking when Marinette's phone starts ringing: she takes it from her pocket and looks who it is: Luka. Alya peeks and recognizes the photo from the contact list.

Marinette immediately replies "Hey, hello Luka!" in a cheerful tone “Yes, fine, thanks. And you? You are here? Are you really back in Paris? " pause “What good news! And until ..." then, she listens for a few moments "I understand. Do you want to meet? Of course, gladly! Tomorrow? Are you at our usual place at six? Agreed!" she stops again, seeing that Alya gives a wave of greeting “See you tomorrow then! Ah, Alya greets you! ", she covers the microphone with her hand and whispers "He greets you too! " then hangs up.

Marinette looks at her best friend "Well, needless to tell you who it was, you eavesdropping!" she sticks her tongue out and smiles. 

“You know, he came back yesterday from London, where he was working with Jagged Stone and he stays here at least until the summer. We exchange Christmas presents a little late. " then explains, taking the menu from the table "I'm hungry ..." she comments scrolling it and choosing a sandwich for lunch. 

Nino gets up from the table "I'm going to order" he says, walking away, while Alya takes out her cell phone and starts writing for the Ladyblog, which she has been running since the days of the Collège.

Marinette thinks back to when, about a year earlier, she sat at that same table with Alya, returning from the Christmas holidays after Papillon's attack with the powers of the miraculous Peacock.

> _Alya stares at Marinette and begins “So, tell me. What's between you two? ", Receiving a questioning look from her friend" Between us two who? "_
> 
> _"You and Sunshine!" she replies, as if it were obvious. “Even this morning you arrived at the last second, but what is strange is that Adrien arrived with you! And it never happened! And I see the glances you exchange every now and then… is there something you didn't tell me? ”. she asks, winking at her._ _  
>   
> _
> 
> _Marinette, whose cheeks had reached a new shade of red as she remembers the kiss she and Adrien secretly shared that morning, looks away from Alya._ _  
> __A moment later she looks at her friend again "Alya, if I didn't know you so well and didn't know your proverbial curiosity, I'd say you're jealous!" she replies with a grimace, then sighs "anyway, t-there's nothing between me and Adrien ... I would like so much but ..." the girl still looks away from her blue eyes, looking at her hands "well you know. I like him but I'm always at the same point.”_
> 
> _Alya raises her voice “Oh, well, I'm not stupid! Don't make fun of me, Marinette… indeed, don't make fun of yourself" the other gives her a dirty look "Keep your voice down! " Marinette scolds her, noticing a few glances turning towards their table._
> 
> _Alya obeys, approaches her and continues in a lower voice “I was there too, I know what you said to Chat Noir, when he was hit by the Akumatized. And what did he say when YOU got hit by the giant moth. I was holding you in my arms and I was so afraid… I won't easily forget that sentence ”._
> 
> _Marinette gasps, her eyes wide open "Ow ... eh ... no, it's just that we are ...partners! … oh well ..." she pauses, searching for words, then takes Alya's hands in her "L-listen, Alya. You are my best friend, you know. And there have never been any secrets between us ..." the other interrupts her" Not really, girl!" she sighs “Okay, superpowers aside… But there are some things I don't… I can't tell you. And as for that thing, I have good reasons ..." the girl swallows empty, feeling a lump in her throat as she thinks about Chat Blanc "... not to. You don't know how much it costs me, really."_
> 
> _Alya stares at her, noticing her discomfort, then after a long pause "I think if these reasons concern ..." she points to the pendant of the Fox Miraculous "maybe you should talk about it"._
> 
> _Marinette sighs again, thinking - I hate having to lie even to my best friend, but that's for the best - then quickly wipes a tear with the back of her hand, finally says, little more than a whisper “I know, Alya. But I don't… I can't tell you about it now. Really. Don't be angry with me."_
> 
> _Alya looks at her friend again for a long time “Ok Mari, sorry. I'm a meddler.", she concludes, hugging her "But I'm sure you don't tell me right ... "_

  
" Earth to Marinette! Earth to Marinette! Answer, Marinette!" the voice of Alya, who covers her nose simulating a radio transmitter, brings the girl back to reality "What were you thinking about?" she then asks, speaking normally.

Marinette blinks "Ah, nothing, Alya, nothing important .. At ... the afternoon lessons." she replies, shrugging and taking the sandwich from the plate Nino had brought her. 

Between bites, Alya asks her friend "Are you sure you weren't thinking about Luka?" raising an eyebrow with a half smile

"No, no, Alya ... he's a handsome boy, he has a heart of gold, we both know it, but I don't care in that sense" replies Marinette, taking a sip of orange juice, "We're just two friends who haven't seen each other for a while, and then there's Juleka too."

“Ah, damn! Say hello to her so much for me! I haven't seen her literally in months! Damn, I'm sorry I can't come too” the redhead blurts out “tomorrow I have to accompany the little troublemakers to a friend's birthday and I would never make it for that hour! ”.

“Don't worry, I'll say hello to them both for you. I know that she and Rose are back in the same class as the four of us, maybe she'll be there too" adds Marinette, with a sigh "It would be nice to find us all and have a nice reunion of classmates, sooner or later "  
Alya and Nino nod "Yeah, it would be really cool" he comments, then Alya looks at the time on the mobile phone and then comments "We need to hurry, there are only 10 minutes left: we risk being late for the first hour of the afternoon".


	3. Chapter 3

“Luka, if you go on like this you'll dig a furrow,” Juleka says, putting a hand on her brother's shoulder. 

Luka stops walking, then starts shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “Hm, you're right, sis” he replies, looking at her and running a hand through his turquoise-dyed hair. “It’s just… well I'm a little nervous. And then it's cold."   
“You don’t say? I didn't realize you're nervous." She replies, smiling and lifting the purple faux fur trim of the black coat she's wearing. "What do you say, let’s wait inside?" She asks, pointing to the place where they had an appointment with Marinette.

Luka looks at the time on his mobile “No, let's wait for her here, it will be a matter of minutes…. " Pauses and smiles, "ah no, it's Marinette, I bet she's still the chronic latecomer."

Juleka chuckles in turn "But no, last time, when we went skating, she arrived on time!"

"Come on, let's go sit on that bench" the boy proposes, looking around for signs of his friend. The two sit down and Luka begins to rhythmically raise and lower one heel, still nervous. He remembers the song that he dedicated to Marinette -  _ Six months I haven’t seen her in person ... it's a lot of time - _

Luka’s gaze wanders on the Paris’ skyline and stops at the Eiffel Tower -  _ It seems like yesterday, but it's been almost a year since that fight in which Ladybug was almost akumatized. This time she didn't need Viperion. Back then I thought Mari was Ladybug: the music I heard when we spoke, when I gave her back the Miraculous, is the same one I hear in Marinette. But maybe I'm wrong and I certainly can't ask her. - _

Luka looks at his sister, sitting next to him "You know, sis, I missed you a lot." He says almost speaking to himself.

"Did you?" Juleka asks.

He looks away. “Yes, you and Marinette,” he explains.

"You always think about her, huh?" the girl asks again, taking her brother's hand.

"Yup" he concludes, sighing.

Juleka shakes his hand, then “Well, you should tell her, she's coming” she concludes, standing up and waving to Marinette. 

Luka gets up from the bench, smiles and thinks -  _ Marinette already knows _ -

The two girls hug and exchange the usual two kisses of greeting. Luka watches them exchange a few words, until Juleka moves a few steps leaving him space. 

He and Marinette hug and Luka greets his friend “Hi Marinette! It's nice to see you again!"

The girl replies “Luka! I'm happy to see you again ... how are you?"

  
Luka takes a step back to look at Marinette, who doesn't have the usual pigtails but her hair is simply tied in a ponytail, a black coat and her signature pink jeans, then replies looking into her captivating blue eyes, “Fine! Especially now that I'm back home and can see my friends again, video calls aren't the same!" -  _ Damn she is even more beautiful than last time  _ \- he thinks, trying not to stare.

“You're right,” Marinette agrees with a smile, “seeing each other in person is another matter entirely. By the way, let's get out of the cold, what do you say?" she proposes.

They walk into a nearby café and sit down at a table. 

Marinette looks at Luka, thinking -  _ I will have to tell him that Adrien and I are a couple _ \- then she moves her gaze, noticing that the boy is looking at her too -  _ I hope not to make him suffer too much  _ \- both find themselves looking at the menu. He chooses a coffee, Marinette, a hot chocolate. Juleka instead decides for a fruit tea and beckons to the waitress, a young blonde woman, who arrives immediately to take the orders.

"So, Luka" Marinette begins, buying time, "what can you tell me? How is London? What's it like working with Jagged Stone?"

The boy lowers the zip of his leather jacket, underneath he wears a black sweatshirt with the stylized face of Jagged Stone. “Well, London is an awesome city, but I didn't have much time to be a tourist. Jagged is really demanding, even too much at times." 

Luka shows the cracked skin and calluses on the fingertips of his left hand. "This is also why I didn't call you often: we sometimes spend ten hours in the recording studio, the songs must be absolutely perfect, or as Jagged wants, so we often repeat the same passage dozens of times." 

Luka pauses as the waitress brings their order, takes a sip of his espresso and continues, "They're all very good and helpful though, not like that annoying snooty manager of XY. Even though I'm the newest and youngest, they immediately made me feel part of the team and taught me a lot of tricks. And then being able to play with a legend like Jagged is fantastic." the boy takes his cell phone, then puts it back in his pocket. "Unfortunately I can't let you hear anything in advance," he concludes, looking at the girls.

Marinette nods, then turns to Juleka, who has remained aloof, always taciturn as she was when they were classmates. “What has been going on with you? How long has it been ... a month that we haven't seen each other? "   
  


“A month already ... Nothing, the usual things. Rose has finally managed to introduce me to her parents," replies the other, moving the purple fringe from her eyes.

" And ... how did they take it? " Marinette asks, a little worried, having never met them.

Juleka looks at her, "They took it well .. in the sense that in the end they seemed happy, even if at first they seemed a bit annoyed when Rose said that ... we are together."

As his sister speaks, Luka reaches out and puts his hand over hers. "They seemed like good people, so that's okay."

They continue to chat about this and that until the waitress comes back to clean up the table.

  
"And you, Mari, what have you been up to?" asks Luka “How is the new school? And the others? Do you still see them?"

Marinette replies hastily, before he can ask about Adrien, “The others? We talk every now and then but we all went to different schools. As you know I'm with Adrien, Alya and Nino and ... they're all fine. The new school is something else entirely. You have to study a lot more, and the teachers ... are good, but ... there is no comparison with Miss Bustier. After all, she is unique! "

  
Luka nods, then she continues, "I ... I started helping out in the shop and I often replace mum, she says that if I am not successful as a stylist I can manage the shop." 

Luka nods again. "I understand ... well it's a good thing to have a second choice!" 

As the waitress walks away, Juleka glances at Luka and stands up. "Sorry, I'm going to the toilet for a second," she says, putting down her coat, which she had on her lap, folded it over the chair and walking away.

Marinette sighs and looks at her friend. "Luka there is ... one thing I have to tell you, I’m telling you now because it should stay with us." 

He looks into her eyes, starting to hear "her" music, but now with something different, and he nods. "Okay, go on." He whispers.

The girl takes a deep breath. "Well, you know..." Marinette hesitates, "Adrien and I ... we are a c-couple..." then says all in one breath, looking away from Luka's face. 

He too hesitates for a moment, his heart accelerates, then gently takes her hand. “Mari, it's… it's good news, I'm happy for… you both. You must be on cloud nine... since when have you been ... er ... together?" he manages to say, while thinking -  _ I knew it. That's why her music was different  _ \- 

"Well it's ..." Marinette begins, pondering -  _ and now how do I tell him? Okay, I'll just say it  _ \- then she takes another breath and replies “… from almost a year, actually.” Moving uncomfortably in her chair.   
  
Luka begins to feel dry in his throat, takes a sip of water and continues, "ok... can I ask you why you don't want anybody to know?" he asks.

  
“B-because Adrien is famous and his father would never agree that he was with me… the daughter of two pastry chefs,” replies Marinette, but in reality she thinks of Chat Blanc's cold gaze. 

Luka straightens up in his chair, "I don't think his father, I mean, you are a ... very promising designer, he shouldn't have anything against..." then he swallows empty, feeling wet eyes, "... against you. You are a wonderful girl, Marinette.” Luka stops again, looking away.

  
"Luka ..." Marinette whispers, seeing him uncomfortable. "I ... I'm sorry, I ..." 

He raises his eyes shining with tears and blurts out, "You must not be sorry! I am really happy for you… for you both. It is enough for me that you are happy." The boy lowers his voice. "I ... I can't force you to love me if you love Adrien." 

Then he quickly wipes the tears from his cheeks and continues, "You deserve to be happy, with all that you do for others." Luka stops talking, looking Marinette in the eyes, then suddenly hugs her, "even when no one knows it's you," he whispers in her ear, feeling her stiffen. "It's okay," he whispers again. 

She remains motionless for a few moments, her heart in her throat, then returns the hug and replies, in a low voice, “Thank you, Luka. You are the best friend one can have.”

They break away and Luka sits up again, "Don't worry, your secrets are safe, Marinette." he adds with a wistful smile. Marinette hasn't caught her breath yet when Juleka comes back from the toilet and sits down again, looking at her brother, who nods imperceptibly. The three resume talking about the new album Jagged Stone is working on.

Marinette looks at the time on her cell phone and gets up, “I better go, I have to finish studying. I almost forgot to tell you that Alya wanted to be here so much, but couldn't come!" The other two also get up, taking turns approaching to hug and kiss Marinette's cheeks. Then leave the café together. 

"I was happy to see you again, Marinette," says Luka as she passes the door, "I'll stay in Paris until summer, so there will be a way to see everyone else, but also because," the boy pauses, taking Juleka under his arm, "we have to resume rehearsals for Kitty Section! And we need your genius for new costumes!"

Marinette blushes slightly and smiles, "Okay ... if you ask me like this, how can I say no..." then hugs both of them. "I really have to go! See you soon!" She runs away towards the metro stairs.

**Author's Note:**

> Here's the second chapter of this Fic.
> 
> I hope you liked the first and go ahead reading the others :D
> 
> Thanks to Agrestebug, JuliaFC, Malauu_Ladynoir and Etoile-Lead-Sama here on Ao3 for beta, support and brainstorming, and thanks to rosehealer02 on Deviantart: they're all really talented writiers and great friends.


End file.
